ISSN:
1437-773X
Keywords:
Key words Keratin
;
Bile canaliculi
;
Ecto-ATPase
;
Transgenic mice
;
Electron microscopy
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Keratin 8 (K8) and keratin 18 are the intermediate filament proteins that are expressed in hepatocytes. A K8-deficient FVB/N mouse is a unique animal model for assessing the contribution of keratin intermediate filaments (IFs) to the structural and functional integrity of hepatocytes. Hepatocytes from homozygous (−/−) K8-deficient mice manifest a reduced bile acid secretion and an increased fragility to mechanical stress and hepatotoxic drugs. Hepatocytes from heterozygous (+/−) mice are more susceptible to drug-induced injury. Immunofluorescent microscopy revealed that hepatocytes from (+/−) mice maintained K8 IFs and F-actin that are similar to those in wild-type (+/+) mouse hepatocytes. In (−/−) mouse hepatocytes, K8 protein was negative and F-actin presented a coarse and irregular pattern. Ecto-ATPase, detected by enzyme histochemistry and observed by electron microscopy, was reduced in the bile canaliculi of both (+/−) and (−/−) mouse livers, in comparison with that of (+/+) mouse livers. These results reveal for the first time different microscopical findings regarding the livers of these three genotypes. They also suggest that the reduction of ecto-ATPase plays a role in the increased fragility of (+/−) and (−/−) mouse livers.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s007950050004
